English Woman in Italy

Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 186? edition. Excerpt: ...of reform! " " Carissimo dottore" said Checchino, taking up his hat, " one must be just after all. Trees of liberty bearing bullets and poniards, do not tend to enlarge the understanding, or give a taste for another season of such fruits and foliage, We laugh at Testaferrata, and those who think like him; but, upon my conscience, if you or I had teen stabbed and shot at in the open daylight, as both he and Pagano were in Ancona in 1849, simply because it was known we did not coincide with the party which had got the uppermost (it was during the Pope's absence at Gaeta, and the short-lived republic at Rome, signorina), I don't imagine we should ever entertain very amiable sentiments towards the system whose advocates indulged in such questionable pleasantries." " Those were exceptions, not the rule," cried the mar-chesa. "Who can be answerable for the excesses of a faction? It is not fair to bring up the assassinations of Ancona to the signorina." " I am just--I am just," he answered, laughing; "it 13 but right to show the reverse of the medal. You were having it all your own way, if I had not put in a word on the other side. You have enough left to make out a very good case, my friends: console yourselves with that. As for me, I do not expect to see better times, whatever our excellent Muzio may say to the contrary; so I do not kill myself with care, and endeavour to make the best of what we have, laugh and amuse myself, and keep out of politics.--Signori miei, good night." CHAPTER XXI. Unwillingness of the Italians to speak on serious topics--Indifference of the majority to literature--Reasons for discouraging the cultivation of female intellect--The Marchesa Gentilina relates her convent experiences--Admiration of English domestic life. One day...show more